The missing link
by Captain Jade
Summary: It turns out there is more to Spike's past than Buffy had ever imagined- spoiler to Season 4 and on.
1. Prologue

The woman kneeling beside the dead girl's body wept fiercely. Buffy could see tears dripping off her face and onto the leather jacket that the dead girl wore. The jacket was strangely familiar but Buffy's thoughts strayed away from the woman and girl to take in her surroundings. She was in a house, no a crypt; a crypt that had been decorated as a house; a vampire's crypt. The room was dark and silent but for the quiet hum of the television and the crying of the woman on the floor.  
  
Slowly Buffy moved away from the woman to inspect the crypt. The furnishings were sparse; a television, which surprisingly was playing an old rerun of "Passions", a chair, and a bed. Not much to see. Like the leather jacket the room was oddly familiar, but Buffy could not keep her thoughts in one place to identify the room.  
  
A strangled voice came out of the silence. "You have to change it, you must," It pleaded.  
  
Whirling around Buffy came face to face with the woman who had been crying. Her face a myriad of emotions: grief, anger, love, hopelessness, and fear were drawn on her face. "It cannot end like this," the woman said again.  
  
Buffy shook her head not knowing how to answer the woman. Then suddenly all of the emotion drained from the woman's face and became featureless; except for her eyes. Buffy found herself staring into the empty depths of her own eyes, reflected in the woman's empty face.  
  
In shock Buffy tried to take a step back but some force held her feet firmly to the floor where she stood. The woman rose to stand before Buffy and she seemed to grow in size till she finally filled the room with her presence.  
  
"You hold the power to change what will be," the woman boomed in her hollow voice. "You must make a choice and do what I could not. Be strong and do not loose hope. Your time will come."  
  
Then the woman fell to the ground and her eyes fluttering closed. Her face returned to normal, but the pain Buffy had seen there before remained. Slowly the woman's chest failed to rise again and Buffy knew she was dead.  
  
* * * *  
  
Buffy woke with a start from a deep sleep. The woman's face was emblazoned in her memory, but the more Buffy thought about what the dream had been about the less she could remember. As she fell back into an uneasy sleep the woman's last words echoed in her mind. "Your time will come."  
  
* * * * 


	2. Chapter 1: The Dream

Chapter 1 Buffy was preoccupied all the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, till a week had passed by. Willow, being Buffy's best friend, had been slightly concerned at first, but when Buffy repeatedly said that she was fine, but then didn't seem to get any better, Willow became exceedingly upset. Giles kept telling Willow that Buffy was probably just thinking about something and not to worry, but she couldn't help it. By the time a week and a day had passed by Willow was ready to scream. So she decided to confront Buffy, and determined the best way to do that was intercept Buffy on her way home from patrol.  
  
It was extremely dark that June night, but warm, after all they did live in Southern California. Willow was wearing a loose green skirt that trailed down around her ankles and a cream colored blouse. Her shoulder length red hair blew slightly in the wind and Willow brushed a stray strand back from her face impatiently. She had been waiting there under the tree in front of Buffy's yard for the good part of an hour. Just as Willow was about to give up and head home to try again tomorrow she heard an all too familiar voice arguing with a voice laden with a rough British accent.  
  
Soon enough Buffy and Spike came strolling around the street corner to Buffy's house. Willow shook her head and smiled at the sight. Earlier that year Spike had come back to Sunnydale looking for revenge on the Slayer. Unfortunately for him, at that time the Initiative, an undercover government operation that apprehended demons, had been in the works in Sunnydale as well. He had been captured and " neutered", or as Spike would say, "Spike took a little trip to the vet and now he doesn't chase the other puppies any more." The Initiative had planted a chip in his head that kept him from being able to hurt any human being. However he could hurt demons, and so Spike had joined Buffy and the Slayerettes in the battle against evil.  
  
"Spike, I'm tired and cranky, you really don't want to provoke me at the moment." Buffy half said-half moaned as she ran a hand through her long golden hair.  
  
"Oh, what are you gonna? Stake me? Like bloody hell you will! " Spike replied.  
  
"Don't give me an invitation," Buffy said taking her eyes off the road to look at the blond vamp. "I just might do it this time."  
  
Spike laughed and began to walk away. "Night luv," he said, "Evening Red." he added acknowledging that she was waiting beneath the trees. Then he vanished into the dark without a trace. It had always bothered Willow, but for now her attention was focused on Buffy.  
  
"Hey Will," Buffy said. "What's up?"  
  
Following Buffy up the stairs to the front door of her house Willow replied, "I came to talk to you about what's been up with you actually."  
  
"Oh, me. Yeah. Not much really. Slaying, eating, sleeping. Nothing spectacular." "  
  
"But you' ve been all no-talk Buffy. You barely said three words to me all week, and a day."  
  
Buffy laughed. "You been counting?" Willow nodded, a look of concern on her face.  
  
"Fine," Buffy replied to the look. "Come in, and we' ll talk."  
  
Ten minutes later Buffy and Willow were safely tucked upstairs in Buffy's room with some Chips Ahoy cookies and glasses pf Dr. Pepper.  
  
"So," Willow prompted.  
  
"Well, a week ago, and a day, I had this really weird dream." Buffy said.  
  
"Oh, dreams are good. What was it about?" Willow replied.  
  
"Well at first I couldn't remembered what happened, but I have it again each night and it gets a little more clearer every time."  
  
Willow nodded for Buffy to continue.  
  
"I'm in a semi-dark room and on the ground a few feet away is a woman and she's crying, weeping. On the ground next to her is a girl, very beautiful, but she's dead."  
  
"What did the girl look like, maybe it's a prophecy? Willow asked.  
  
"The girl has long red hair, well it's more a blonde red; but anyway, her eyes are open and they're a deep swirl of blue and green, almost as if they can't decide which color to be. She's wearing a leather duster, like the one Spike wears, and under it she has on a white t-shirt and dark jeans. I don't recognize her at all. How about you Will?"  
  
"No I've never met or seen for that matter anyone who looks likes that. Is there anything more to the dream?"  
  
"Yeah the woman who was crying begins to talk she says 'You have to change it, you must'. Then she turns to look at me and her face is filled with all these emotions, she says 'It cannot end like this', then her face drains and all that's left are her eyes, but the thing is they're my eyes looking back at me, then she says 'You hold the power to change what will be. You must make a choice and do what I could not. Be strong and do not loose hope. Your time will come.' Then I wake up." "Wow, that's some dream."  
  
"Oh, and sometimes I walk around the room I'm in and it's a crypt, a vampire's crypt. There is a small TV and an old rerun of "Passions" is playing. Oh, and there are ashes about fifteen feet away from where the girl is laying."  
  
"Ashes, like vampire ashes?"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"So do you think a vampire killed the girl?"  
  
"No," Buffy said thinking. "There are absolutely no marks on her body, not even any blood. She died, but not from natural means."  
  
"Well this is the hell-mouth," Willow said and smiled at Buffy's usual eye roll. "So has the dream been bothering you?"  
  
"I guess so, I just can't get it figured out. The woman's words are always echoing in my mind, 'Your time will come'. Its unnerving."  
  
"Hmm, you should tell Giles about it. Maybe he could make some sense of what it means."  
  
"If it means anything." Buffy said.  
  
Willow shook her head and smiled again. "Of course it does. The Slayer would never have a dream that involved and have it not mean something."  
  
"Well" Buffy replied with a mischievous smile, "There was that dream I had when Angel was still hear about how we got married and had kids. That was a pretty involved dream."  
  
It was Willow's turn to roll her eyes. "I remember that dream," she replied, "But I'm serious about telling Giles."  
  
"I know," Buffy said. "We'll go see him at the Magic Box tomorrow."  
  
"Alright, goodnight then," Willow said pushing one last cookie into her mouth as she headed out the door and down the stairs.  
  
"See you tomorrow," Buffy called softly as Willow went out the door. 


	3. Chapter 2: Donuts

Chapter 2  
  
"Good morning Buffy, Willow." Giles called cheerfully from somewhere in the Magic Box where Buffy and Willow couldn't see him."  
  
"We brought donuts," Willow said triumphantly. Striding down towards the long wooden table where they did research and other Scooby stuff.  
  
"Oh," Anya said coming out from behind the store counter. "Any jelly-filled ones?"  
  
"Yeah right on top," Willow said setting the bow down on the table.  
  
Anya lifted up the lid to the pink box and began to reach in for the first donut but Giles' hand swept down and snatched the donut away.  
  
"Hey!" Anya cried stomping her foot as Giles stuffed half of the donut in his mouth and spurting jelly in his face in the process.  
  
"Age before beauty," he mumbled from around the donut and went to go file the books he held in his right hand.  
  
"Humph," Anya grumbled sitting down on Xander's lap. With a grunt he woke from his nap and exclaimed, "When's the world ending?!?!"  
  
Buffy laughed and plopped down in a chair opposite him. "No time soon I hope,"  
  
"Oh right," he said sheepishly.  
  
"Well what brings you here so early?" Giles asked returning from wherever he had gone.  
  
"Buffy's been having a recurring dream," Willow supplied as Giles pulled up a chair for himself.  
  
"Really, what about?" He asked pushing his glasses up on his nose in habit.  
  
Slowly Buffy recounted her dream to the group.  
  
"Interesting," Giles said getting up and taking of his glasses to rub his nose in another habitual action. "You've had the dream ever night for about a week now?"  
  
"Yeah, and last night the dream was clearer. I bent down to examine the girl. I was trying to figure out what had killed her. I didn' t find any marks like I had thought, but around her neck was a necklace. It was silver and in the hollow of her throat hung a bird. I believe it was a mockingbird. Anyway the bird was filled with blue jewels, probably saphire."  
  
Giles made no reply, but instead moved off the begin searching through his books. Xander groaned.  
  
When Giles returned a look of triumph was on his face. In his hands was an open book. He handed it to Buffy and asked, "Is that the necklace?"  
  
Buffy studied the picture for a second and shook her head yes.  
  
"The necklace is the symbol of an old Scottish tribe. The uh, Erskine family."  
  
"So, why is it important now?" Xander asked.  
  
"The necklace is worn by all female members of the tribe. They are enchanted. When the woman is a virgin the necklace is gold, when she looses her, uh virginity, the necklace turns silver." Giles said with a thoughtful look on his face.  
  
"And the dove would stand for innocence." Buffy supplied.  
  
"Yes, I suppose so." Giles replied.  
  
"So why was this dead girl wearing a necklace like this?" Xander asked still confused.  
  
"How old do you think she looked?" Willow asked turning to Buffy.  
  
"Younger than we are." Buffy said trying to remember the girl.  
  
"Uh Willow I don't think her age would be relevant after all, you three at least were younger than you are now when you, uh." Giles trailed off.  
  
"True," Buffy commented.  
  
At that moment a smoking form burst in through the front door of the Magic Box. Hurriedly the black blanket ran towards the cool dark of the back of the shop. Spike emerged from beneath the blanket.  
  
"Well don't look happy to see me will ya?" he said shaking his head at the look on everyone's' faces.  
  
"What do you want now?" Giles asked scratching his head.  
  
Spike laughed. "You think I just came because I want something?"  
  
"Yes," Buffy said matter-o-factly.  
  
"Oh that's harsh," Spike said seating himself down on the counter. "I just want to help, you know fight evil and all that."  
  
"Uh-huh, ok, well anyway, as I was saying its probably just nothing. I have lots of dreams like this, most of them haven't come true." Buffy said trying to ignore Spike.  
  
"Oh a dream! What about?" Spike asked eagerly.  
  
Everyone again turned to glare at him.  
  
"Well sorry, didn't mean to hit a soft spot. Sheesh." He mumbled.  
  
"You're most likely right," Giles said. "If anything else come sup let me know, but in the meantime I have a shop to run so go on."  
  
"Talk to you later," Buffy said as her and Willow packed out of the shop.  
  
"That goes for you too," Giles said indicating Spike.  
  
"Vampire trying to help never appreciated anymore," Spike mumbled as he threw the blanket back over his head and walked back out into the sunlight. 


	4. Chapter 3: Girl at the Bronze

Chapter 3  
  
The Bronze was busy that night. It seemed as if all of Sunnydale was there. Including the vampires. Buffy sighed, 'another night of slaying' she grumbled in her thoughts. The band that was playing was new in town. From what she had heard they were supposed to be really good, but they were still "warming-up", no one had come out to sing as far as she could tell.  
  
Willow had gone to get them some sodas. She had been restless since Tara had left to visit some of her family for the summer. Xander and Buffy tried to keep her mind off that fact, but everything in the entire universe seemed to remind her of Tara. Even Spike.  
  
"Hey luv," he said sauntering up to the table where Buffy was siting. "Mind if I join you?"  
  
"Actually yes." Buffy replied disgust heavy in her voice.  
  
"All right then, I'll leave. I can tell when I'm not wanted." He said and stood up just as Willow returned with their drinks.  
  
"Hey Spike," she said cheerfully. "Where you going?"  
  
"Well Buffy just kicked me out, so I was gonna go see if I could find a deli that was still open."  
  
"Oh you don't have to leave. Stay." Willow said sitting down and motioning for Spike to do the same.  
  
"I don't want to intrude," he said and Willow gave him her resolve face. He sat down quickly. "So, there a new band in town?"  
  
"Yeah," willow replied eager to have something easy to talk about. "Their drummer used to play in Oz's band. I've heard they're really good. Beautiful lead singer."  
  
"Oh really?" Spike asked raising his eyebrows with a smirk on his face.  
  
Willow blushed. "I meant beautiful voice. I haven't met her or anything."  
  
Before Spike could comment the lights dimmed to indicate the band was ready to begin. In response the crowd hushed and turned to watch the stage. Softly the band began to play a tune and somewhere in the darkness a voice started singing.  
  
"So I'm a little left of center I'm a little out of tune Some say I'm paranormal So I just bend their spoon Who wants to be ordinary? In a crazy, mixed-up world I don't care what they're saying As long as I'm your girl"  
  
The song moved into the chorus and a blue spotlight came on to illuminate the singer. The gold highlights in her shoulder length red hair caught the blue light and reflected it into the crowd. As the music intensified her face came up and her eyes scanned across the crowd. They were a mix of blue and green, almost as if her eyes couldn't decide which color to be.  
  
"Oh my god," Buffy and Spike whispered at the same time.  
  
"That's the girl from my dream," Buffy whispered to Willow.  
  
"Wow," was all Spike had to add. "You had a dream about her?"  
  
"Are you sure?" Willow asked.  
  
"Positive, it's the same girl except she's not dead."  
  
"She was dead in your dream?!? That's not fair." Spike whined.  
  
"Shut up," Willow and Buffy said turning to Spike.  
  
He threw his hands up in mock surrender.  
  
"What about the necklace? Is she wearing it?" Willow asked.  
  
"I don't know?" Buffy replied her shirt is covering it up. Straining their eyes Buffy and Willow tried to see if the girl wore the same necklace, but it was useless. They would have to get closer to her to see.  
  
"We're gonna have to get closer," Buffy said.  
  
"Don't you worry about it girls, I'll find out." Spike said his eyes fixed as if entranced by the girl. "You say it's the Erskine necklace?"  
  
"Yeah," Buffy replied as Spike slipped into the crowd.  
  
"He's so weird," Willow said shaking her head.  
  
"Yes he is, but he'll find out for us I can guarantee you that."  
  
The band played for another forty minutes or so, and then the singers retired to let the band play alone. Spike had moved as close to the stage as he could without being noticed, for after all his white-blonde hair was a bit of a sore thumb. Finally he saw the girl leave the stage and noiselessly he followed.  
  
The girl went straight out to the van where all of the music equipment was kept. After speaking to a man inside the storage compartment she slipped into the trailer attached to the van. Spike followed. He knew there was no way he could capture her, let alone hurt her so he stayed in the shadows and watched in the mirror. She would not be able to see him since he had no reflection. Humming to herself the girl let down her hair from the pins holding it in place and began to brush it out. To Spike it was an eon before she moved to undress. Quietly she slipped off her shirt and the golden necklace hanging about her neck was obvious in the dim light of the trailer. The blue beads of the sapphires shimmered and winked at Spike in the mirror. Having accomplished what he had set out to do, Spike checked himself from remaining hidden in the trailer and slipped out.  
  
"She's the one," Spike said sitting back down at the table with Willow and Buffy. "The necklace is genuine."  
  
"How do you know?" Buffy asked not quite ready to trust Spike.  
  
"None of your business. Now I got you your information, how about a little compensation?"  
  
"Fine, fine." Buffy said standing to go. "I'll see you tomorrow Will. Let's go Spike." Buffy made her way out of the Bronze and Spike followed like an obedient puppy. 


	5. Chapter 4: Kira

Chapter 4  
  
Surprisingly, Spike was silent the whole way to the butchers and even once he and Buffy got out into the cemetery his lips remained shut. It was beginning to bother Buffy.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked stopping between two graves.  
  
Spike came to a halt a few feet from her and didn't answer. He stood looking at the ground his eyes flicking from one blade of grass to another.  
  
"Spike." she said just as a vampire pulled her down from behind. A slap, kick, punch, and then a stake and the vampire was ashes. Turning around to again ask Spike why he was so quiet, Buffy discovered that Spike was no longer next to her. Frustrated, Buffy trudged off through the cemetery looking for Spike and vampires to slay.  
  
Her search turned out to be fruitless. No vampires, and no Spike. Tired Buffy sat down on a gravestone and rested her chin in her hands. It had been a lonely summer while Riley was in Ohio visiting his family. The Tara had left to visit her family as well. For Buffy and Willow the summer would never end, and that was a bad thing.  
  
Suddenly Buffy heard Spike scream and she jumped off the gravestone and hit the ground in a dead run. Dashing through gravestones Buffy felt a strange urge to not let Spike die, yet; she wanted to kill him. She found Spike pinned to the outside wall to his crypt by the girl from the bronze. In her hand was a stake, and it was poised precariously over Spike's heart. Spike whimpered when he saw Buffy indicating that she was to save him since he couldn't hurt the girl holding him prisoner.  
  
"I wouldn't kill him," Buffy said.  
  
Casually the girl turned to face Buffy, the stake still at Spike's heart as if she had known Buffy was there all along. "And why not?" she asked. "Oh wait, you're not feeling sorry for another vampire are you now Buffy?"  
  
Enraged Buffy flinched towards the girl but something held her back, it was the same sort of feeling that had made her come running to Spike's rescue. "He happens to be a friend of mine yes." Spike smiled. "But he's not worth killing. He couldn't hurt you if he wanted to." Spike growled.  
  
"Oh, The Initiative got you huh?" the girl said turning back to Spike. "Sorry hun, that's a shame but I've still got a duty to do, and if the Slayer won't so it then I will."  
  
Quickly Buffy threw herself at the girl and managed to wrestle the stake away from her before Spike was turned into ashes. The girl had been exceptionally strong, but no match for the Slayer. Buffy carefully tucked the stake into her coat and pushed Spike behind her as she turned to face the girl again.  
  
"Fine," the girl said lowering her guard. "I won't kill Spike here. My name's Kira Erskine."  
  
"Buffy Summers," Buffy replied. "But I see that you knew that. How do you know this is Spike?"  
  
"Long story," Kira replied keeping her eyes carefully away from Spike's gaze. "And how I know about Angel is also a long story, but one that I'm willing to tell if ya want to hear it."  
  
"Yes, I would." Buffy replied. "My house isn't too far from here." Then turning to Spike Buffy said, "I'll be by to see you later, and I want some sort of explanation for tonight, cause if she won't tell me, you are."  
  
Turning on her heel Buffy led the way out of the cemetery. Kira followed and just before she was out of hearing range she whispered, "I'll be seeing you soon."  
  
Once both girls were safely out of the cemetery Spike collapsed on the ground and shook his head in frustration. 'What a night,' he thought. 'What a night.'  
  
"So your cousin Billy is Angel's friend Billy, and after you ran away from home because your father was going to marry you to a old, fat, and ugly Scottish lord you went to stay with him for awhile and therefore met Angel." Buffy said summing up what Kira had just related to her.  
  
"Yeah," Kira replied. "I got to know Angel really well. He talks about you quite a bit, well at least around people he trusts." Buffy smiled softly and looked down at her hands. "Anyway," Kira continued. "I was getting to be a handful down there, so Billy and Angel decided it would be good for me to come up here to see you. See I used to be a potential, when I was younger I could have been chosen as the Slayer if you died, but you didn't, well I didn't get chosen. Then after a potential turns 17 the Council doesn't consider you a potential anymore, so anyway Billy though it would be good maybe for me to train with you. If you don't mind."  
  
"No not at all." Buffy said smiling at Kira. "It'll be fun, and besides you're great entertainment at the Bronze."  
  
Kira smiled too. "Yeah, my mother taught me how to sing. She had a really pretty voice. See she used to be a siren, but when she was 18 her and my father were at a costume party and he was all drunk when he met her, so the siren's spell didn't affect him. They fell in love that night, and the spell on her was broken."  
  
"Wow, your mother was a siren? I didn't even know they existed." Buffy said somewhat awed.  
  
"They're more common in Europe that America."  
  
"So, why did you know who Spike is?" Buffy asked tentatively.  
  
"I'll tell you as soon as I work some things out with him. We need to talk. I was going to go over to his crypt now and I'll tell you the whole thing when I get back if you want to wait up."  
  
"Yeah sure, I'll just be watching the late night television." Buffy said fluffing the pillows up behind her on the couch. Kira smiled again, pulled on her jean jacket and slipped out the back door of the Summers' house.  
  
"Knock, knock" Kira said striding into Spike's crypt.  
  
"What do you want," Spike grumbled from somewhere in the darkness of the room.  
  
"To talk," Kira replied sitting down on the chair in front of the TV.  
  
"What about?" Spike said emerging into the false light that lit the chamber.  
  
"Cecily." Kira replied shortly. Spike turned to leave, but Kira bounced off the chair and caught him lightly by the arm. Her loose grip startled Spike and he turned to look at her curiously.  
  
"I didn't come here to take vengeance on for my family's sake like Angel. I just kind of want to know what happened. It would make me feel better about some about myself."  
  
"Fine," Spike said, "what do you want to know?"  
  
"Why did you kill her? What did she do to you?"  
  
"She broke my heart. I loved her more than anything and she told me that I was beneath her. Happy?"  
  
Kira said nothing.  
  
"Well you got what you came here for you can go now. I'm happier sulking by myself."  
  
"William."  
  
"My name's Spike now, William is dead."  
  
"You know that's not tr."  
  
"Yes I do, now go."  
  
Kira slowly let go of Spike's arm and turned to go. She opened the door to the crypt and stepped out into the darkness. Quickly she turned back to look at Spike and said, "Angel warned me, but I thought maybe he was wrong, I thought maybe you had changed. I guess not."  
  
"Kira." Spike said taking a step towards her, but she was gone. 


	6. Chapter 5: New Friends

Chapter 5  
  
The early morning sun woke Buffy from a surprisingly quite sleep, free from dreams of the dead girl and weeping woman. She was lying on the couch and Kira was asleep on the floor next to her. The TV was still on and the morning news was playing. Kira had come home the night before told Buffy everything about Spike and her Great-great-grandmother, Cecily. Buffy had found the story fascinating, and in some ways did not surprise her that Spike had once been a very loving person. Kira also explained how she had met Spike; he had shortly been in Scotland and had a run in with Kira's father, Thomas. Spike had been held captive at the Erskine family mansion. Kira had been ordered to make sure he didn't try to escape, and while she sat for long hours with Spike Kira had learned much of his past, and why he had killed Cecily and the others he had known when he was human. Moved with pity and maybe something of a crush, Kira freed Spike brining down the wrath of her family on her. That was where Kira getting married had come in, and eventually led to her escape from the mansion just as Spike had a few years before.  
  
"Good morning," Kira said from the floor.  
  
"Morning," Buffy said looking down at her. "Hungry?"  
  
"Starved." Kira replied sitting up against the couch.  
  
Slowly Buffy peeled herself off the couch and took a few cautious steps towards the kitchen, "how does Cheerios sound?"  
  
"Delicious!" Kira exclaimed. "I love Cheerios! You can't get them very easily in Scotland. When Billy lived there he always used to go by them for me from the Airforce base about an hour from where we lived."  
  
"Well we have plenty of them here." Buffy said sliding into the kitchen and pulling the mustard yellow Cheerio box out of the cupboard.  
  
"Oh, about that." Kira began. "I don't want to impose on you here. So, I thought maybe you could help me look for an apartment close by. My family kind of has a lot of money, so it's no big deal."  
  
"Yeah, we can go look today, but you can stay here too if you want. Up to you." Buffy said pouring the Cheerios and milk into two bowls. "Enjoy," she added passing the bowl to Kira.  
  
"Thanks." She said.  
  
"Its perfect!" Kira exclaimed twirling around in her new apartment. Buffy had located the ad that morning for an apartment just down the road from where she lived and after quick showers Kira and Buffy went to check it out. A half an hour later the apartment was Kira's. "And it's pretty close to the Bronze so I can get there to practice with the band easily. We're playing there again tonight by the way. I want you to come, I've got a song I want to sing for you."  
  
"All right," Buffy said. The apartment was magnificent. With one master bedroom, a walk in closet and bathroom, and a large living room/dining room. The kitchen faced three wide floor length windows that looked out onto a peaceful garden.  
  
"I'll be moving in today if that's ok." Kira told the landlord. The woman looked like she was in her forties and the easy smile on her face made Buffy feel safer about Kira living there.  
  
"Certainly, and if you would like my son Andrew can help you get everything moved in." the landlord, Mrs. Sanders replied.  
  
"That would be very helpful and appreciated." Kira said a bright smile growing on her face.  
  
"Well, I'll leave you to get settled in. Andrew is down in the office when you need him." Mrs. Sanders said as she left the room.  
  
"What are you going to move in?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well all of my stuff is in a storage unit about five minutes from here. When I ran away I kind of brought my whole apartment from Scotland with me."  
  
"Oh, well shall we call Xander, Willow, and Giles to help as well?"  
  
"Yeah I guess I should meet them since they're your best friends and such. And Giles is your watcher. My watcher, uh. died."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry."  
  
"Its ok. But yes I do want to meet all of them. So while I go get my stiff from storage call 'em up and have them meet us here in a half an hour."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"Hey!" Xander called as he, Anya, Willow, and Giles came in through the open door to the apartment Buffy had specified.  
  
"Hi," Kira said coming out from behind a mound of boxes to greet them.  
  
"You must be Kira." Giles said offering his hand. Kira took it and instead of the traditional handshake curtsied over it. A flustered look came over Giles' face and his ears turned red.  
  
"It is only proper respect for an English lord." Kira replied smiling.  
  
"Yes, well you needn't do that every time we greet.  
  
"No of course not," Kira replied. "So you are Xander, and Willow." Kira said shaking hands with both of them.  
  
"And this is my girlfriend Anya," Xander said indicating the pretty girl attached to his side.  
  
"Pleased to meet you," Kira said.  
  
"As am I." Anya replied.  
  
"Oh hey guys," Buffy said coming out of the bedroom where she had been unpacking boxes full of sheets and blankets. "Let's get started."  
  
Three hours later the whole apartment had been filled with Kira's stuff, with the gracious help of Andrew, and all the boxes had been broken down and taken out to the recycle. Buffy couldn't imagine how Kira had managed to fir everything in just twenty boxes, but Kira then informed them that the boxes had been enchanted to have as much room as needed to fit its contents. That had led to a long conversation between Willow and Kira about how exactly one would perform such a spell.  
  
Finally it was six o'clock and Kira had to leave to get to the Bronze to set up for her band's performance later that night.  
  
"By the way," Xander asked. "What is the name of your band? I missed it the other night."  
  
"Oh, Thorn." Kira said.  
  
"Thorn?" Giles asked curious.  
  
"Yeah, see all the songs I write talk about the things in life that are the 'thorn in you side'. So hence the name."  
  
"Wow, you write the songs?" Willow asked.  
  
"Uh-huh. Then Jordan, the lead guitarist but music to the lyrics."  
  
"Huh," Willow replied.  
  
"Well I have to go, but I want y'all to come tonight and listen. I've got a special song to play for Buffy. Bye!"  
  
"She's a lovely girl," Giles said as the door closed on Kira.  
  
"Really nice, and sweet, and she does magic." Willow added.  
  
"Very nice, said it seemed I was a very important part of the whole group." Xander commented.  
  
"So you like her?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Oh yeah," all three said in unison.  
  
"So she ran away from home?" Giles asked.  
  
"Yeah," Buffy replied.  
  
"And her mother was a siren, interesting." Anya said.  
  
"Well perhaps we should all go get something to eat before we go to the Bronze tonight?" Giles said addressing everyone.  
  
"Sure," everyone replied.  
  
"Hey Spike!" Buffy said perkily plopping down on a chair next to him. "What you got there?"  
  
"What'd you eat this morning for breakfast?" he retorted.  
  
"Cheerios. Is that a Shirley Temple? Hey can I get what he's having. Thanks! Kira's playing again tonight. She's gonna play a song for me. Cool huh?"  
  
"Very," Spike said shaking his head at Buffy's heightened happiness. "They're starting right now."  
  
"Oh goodie! Hey Xander! Hey Willow!"  
  
"Hey Buffy, Spike." Willow said joining them at the table.  
  
"Hey Buffy. Spike." Xander said following Willow's lead and sitting down at the table.  
  
"One Shirley temple," the man said placing Buffy's drink on the table.  
  
"Um, this is really good." Buffy said to Spike.  
  
"I like it cause it looks like blood." Spike replied trying to deter Buffy.  
  
"Yeah your right it does. Cool!" Buffy said gleefully drinking her blood colored drink.  
  
"Is she drunk?" Spike asked Willow.  
  
"Not on alcohol, on something though." Willow replied.  
  
The band began to play a warm-up and Kira came out on stage. She had curled her hair so it hung in loose red curls around her face and shoulders. A bit of white color around her eyes brought the mix of blue and green in them and her lips were dusted a cherry red. The Bronze was warm so she had donned a blue, that matched her eyes, halter top that crisscrossed over her back and slimming black pants that stretched nicely over her shapely legs.  
  
Seeing the love-struck look on Spike's face Buffy pretended to wipe drool from the side of his mouth and said, "now Spike don't droll in public its not polite."  
  
Angrily Spike turned to throw a retort back at Buffy but Kira began to sing and everyone in the room turned their full attention to her.  
  
The band played for awhile, songs they hadn't played the night before, and the crowd swayed in time with each song. After what seemed like eternity for Buffy Kira moved to the front of the stage and her eyes moved to find Buffy's. Kira found Buffy sitting with Willow, Xander, Giles, Anya, and Spike and smiled.  
  
"We've got a special song coming up for one of my good friends. I wrote it for a good friend of hers that had to leave a few years ago. I would now like to play it for her."  
  
Spike turned to Buffy and saw a single tear fall from her eye down her cheek. "Hey, its ok." He said softly touching her hand with his.  
  
"I know," Buffy said just as the song began to play.  
  
'I was lost  
  
And you were found You seemed to stand on solid ground I was weak And you were strong And me and my guitar We strummed along, oh Sweet misery you cause me That's what you called me Sweet misery you cause me I was blind But oh, how you could see You saw the beauty in everything Everything and me I would cry And you would smile You'd stay with me a little while Sweet misery you cause me That's what you called me Sweet misery you cause me And in my heart I see, oh What you're doing to me And in my heart I see, oh Just how you wanted it to be Sweet misery Oh, whoa Sweet misery you cause me That's what you called me Sweet misery you cause me And in my heart I see, oh Just how you wanted it to be Sweet misery I was weak And you were strong And me and my guitar We strummed along.'  
  
The song ended and by then Buffy had tears streaming down her cheeks, but she smiled anyway. Seconds after the song ended Spike had wiped the tears from he face and no sign of her weak moment showed on Buffy's face.  
  
Kira came forward again. "Now, the new addition to our group, Sara will sing for the rest of the night. Thank you."  
  
The music began again and the crowd began dancing as if nothing had happened.  
  
Off the stage Kira slowly made her way over to Buffy. "Hey," she said. "How'd you like the song?"  
  
"It was great!" Xander said. "Who did you write it about?"  
  
Everyone turned to look at Xander as if he had grown a wart on his forehead.  
  
"I wrote it for Angel while I lived down there. I couldn't sing it that often though cause he cried every time I did."  
  
Buffy just smiled. Xander looked as if he had been struck with an axe.  
  
"Wanna dance?" he asked Anya and swept her out onto the floor before she could respond. Giles had been swept away with some pretty, but older woman his age and Willow went to talk to some people she knew from school. Buffy looked glum, but content, and Spike looked restless.  
  
"Would you like to dance?" Kira asked him and he looked at her in surprise and shock. "Well?"  
  
"Why not," he said and stood. Carefully he placed his leather duster on his chair to reveal the black T-shirt he wore beneath it. Kira quickly moved out onto the dance floor. Sara saw Kira and smiled at her mischievously, she ended the song short and the band began to play a slow, love song seeing what Sara had seen. Kira stuck her tongue out at all of them and mouthed unreadable curses.  
  
Turning around to face Spike, Kira's eyes glanced up into his light blue ones and her heart fluttered involuntarily. Shaking the feeling off Kira cautiously placed her arms lightly on Spike's shoulders. In response he placed his hands on her hips and they began to sway to the music. Spike's heart seemed beat faster and he found himself breathing, even though he needed to perform either of those tasks to live. As the song came to its height Kira lightly drew herself closer to Spike and rested her head on his chest. Spike pulled her closer to him and they touched ever so slightly. Spike could feel Kira's heart beating against his chest and he was violently reminded that she was human and he was a demon.  
  
Luckily as that thought passes through his head the song ended and Spike pulled away from Kira quickly and disappeared into the crowd. This time however, Kira was not going to just let him walk out. Without a second thought she followed him and scooped his leather duster up on the way out the door. 


	7. Chapter 6: Troubles of the Heart

Chapter 6  
  
Kira followed Spike from the Bronze out to the cemetery. Not far from his crypt he stopped and turned around expecting to see her standing right behind him. She stood in the shadows about twenty feet away and made no move to walk towards him.  
  
"Want do you want from me?" he asked, frustration showing on his face.  
  
"Nothing." Kira replied.  
  
"Then leave me in peace. I am a monster, a pretty girl like you shouldn't be hanging around the likes of me."  
  
"I'll decide who I will 'hang around' with if you don't mind. And you're not a monster."  
  
"No?" Spike said flashing his game face at her. "You wouldn't call that a monster?"  
  
"No, you still have some part of William left in you, and that makes you no more a monster than a new born babe."  
  
"Please don't start with the soul stuff. It makes me sick."  
  
"Only because you know its true. Only William could dance as gracefully as you just did. A vampire that has lived for 120 years and didn't retain some of what he used to be wouldn't talk with a rough British accent. Only William could befriend a slayer. Part of you still in there is a good person, and that's the part I'm." Kira paused and looked down at the ground.  
  
"Through then? Cause if you are I've got some pressing business." Spike shot at her.  
  
Quietly Kira finished what she had to say. "That I'm falling in love with."  
  
Spike whirled around to face her and his face was contorted with anger, confusion, and pain. "No, you don't love me. You're just like your grandmother, steal a man's heart and then bash it into the mud because 'he's beneath you.' No I won't do that again. Not another Erskine bitch."  
  
"Spike."  
  
"Just go away."  
  
"You can't make me go away, you know that. She still haunts you doesn't she? Smiling at you in your dreams. Singing sweet songs of how it could have been. Taunting you, asking 'why couldn't you have been better.' Sh." Kira broke off into a storm of tears. They poured down her cheeks and Kira slowly sunk to the ground, heavy sobs racking her form. Spike was rooted to the ground, unable to move towards her or away.  
  
"Kira, I'm."  
  
"I don't want your apologies or pity. You are nothing, a monster that hides from the world, too afraid to show his face because he cannot look at it himself. Angel really was right. Some people never change." With that Kira pulled herself to her feet and left.  
  
"How's she doing?" Xander asked when Buffy came out from Kira's bedroom in her new apartment.  
  
"Ok," Buffy said. "From what she would tell me she followed Spike after he left last night and they got in a big argument."  
  
"But its Spike! Why is she upset over that?" Xander demanded.  
  
"She loves him," Anya said simply. "There's no need for any other explanation."  
  
"How do you know?" Xander demanded again.  
  
"You can see it in everything about her," Willow replied. "The way she looks at him when she thinks we aren't looking. The way she treats him like a person. And with the way they danced last night I'd say he loves her too."  
  
"That's why they were fighting." Buffy finished. "Kira's kind of lost and she latched onto something, but I think its more than that. There's been something there since he was a prisoner at her family's mansion. And now Spike isn't going to let her into his life of depression."  
  
"But you guys are only the same age I am. You don't know that much about love!" Xander retorted while trying to convince himself that anyone could think of Spike that way.  
  
"But I do, and I agree with Buffy, Willow, and Anya." Giles said coming out of the kitchen with his cup of coffee. "It is quite readable that there is something between them."  
  
At that moment a knock came at the door. Wondering who could be coming by to see Kira at 8 o'clock in the morning Buffy answered the door. A black blanket cloaked the smoking figure that stood before her.  
  
"I need to talk to Kira," he said.  
  
"Well she's asleep at the moment and I can't invite you in, so I guess you should come back." Buffy replied feeling the urge to hit him coming upon her.  
  
"Please, its important. Can I wait here until she wakes up?"  
  
"I guess so, but I'm gonna close the door."  
  
Spike just shook his head and sank down next to the door in silence.  
  
"What did he want?" Xander demanded again.  
  
"See Kira." Buffy replied. "And do you have to know everything?" Xander rolled his eyes.  
  
"Maybe we should leave." Giles suggested. "Leave Kira a note and let them sort this out alone. I think she would like that."  
  
"Yeah," Willow said. "When I was kind of like this with Oz I felt better when I was just alone."  
  
Kira opened her eyes and groaned when she saw the alarm clock read 10 o'clock. Then she noticed the note next to the clock. It was written in Buffy's handwriting. It read:  
  
Kira,  
We've come by everyday since I got your message, but we've all got stuff to do. Donuts are on the kitchen counter, and um Spike wants to talk to you. He's waiting outside the front door. Been there since 8 o'clock this morning.  
  
Buffy  
  
With a heavy sigh Kira pulled herself out of bed and checked her reflection in the full-length mirror. Her eyes weren't puffy anymore and her hair was only a little rumpled. Her white tank top was a little see-through and her star covered pj bottoms were about five inches too short, but she could have cared less.  
  
Opening the front door Kira said, "Come in Spike."  
  
"Before I do," he replied getting up from the floor. "I want to say I am sorry for what I said last night, and I did not mean any disrespect towards Cecily or you."  
  
Kira answered by pulling Spike into the apartment for a long, deep kiss.  
  
Spike woke to the comfort of his own crypt, and a deep sigh of relief.  
  
Kira woke to the soft hum of her television, Dracula was playing on the SciFi channel and she laughed. After more than on passionate kiss, Spike had thrown himself down on the couch to watch Passions while Kira ate her donuts. At noon Kira went out to get some food for her apartment and on the way home picked up a pint of pig's blood for Spike, even though it unnerved her to be carrying blood home. Once home Kira made some traditional English Blood Pudding, which Spike enjoyed immensely. For herself Kira made Fettuccini Alfredo. Once the sun went down Kira and Spike shared a few more kisses and then Spike left for his crypt and Kira fell asleep in front of the TV. 


	8. Chapter 7: the Spells of Love

Chapter 7  
  
"Fire and Wind, help me now, grant me the wish I long most dearly for, grant me the love of the man I see, and let him love me more than all the earth." Rang the love spell loud and true. The red aura it created spread like wildfire over Sunnydale, and unbeknownst to the caster her spell affected every man, and every woman in the town.  
  
**********  
  
"Spike, its really cold in here! Have you ever considered getting a heater or something?" Kira called down to Spike who was brooding in the lower recesses of his crypt.  
  
"Why? I don't feel any cold!" Spike retorted. He had been in a dreadful mood all day and Kira had not figured out why.  
  
"I'm cold though." Kira replied peeking over the edge of the lip leading down bellow.  
  
"Well then go somewhere else!" he called back angrily.  
  
Anger suddenly grew in Kira's heart and she replied. "Fine then I will." Grabbing her coat Kira was almost to the door when Spike emerged from his cave.  
  
"No don't go." He said softly.  
  
"Apparently I am not welcome." Kira retorted and turned to go.  
  
"Kira," Spike said moving swiftly to hold her back softly by her arm. "I'm sorry. It was a bad day." Kira did not answer. "Look," Spike said anger filling his voice again. "I haven't eaten in three days, I have an idiot demon guy I owe money hounding me day and night and I haven't slept for even longer."  
  
"I see, and you couldn't have asked me for any help about that could you. Oh no, much to arrogant to do that."  
  
Spike visibly tensed and Kira could tell that he was trying hard to keep his vampire features from remaining unseen. "Sod off," he said and released her arm and walked away. Kira quietly left.  
  
"Much too arrogant to do that." Spike mimicked. "Bloody hell, I don't know what I was thinking about getting involved with her."  
  
"Spike." a sensuous voice called as the door to the crypt opened again. A startled look came over Spike's face and he turned to see Kira lustrously spreading herself across the doorway.  
  
"Wha." he began, but Kira moved swift as lightning as she pinned him to the wall before he could blink. Her hands slipped up along his sides and wrapped themselves in his hair. Spike tried to pull away, but he could not disentangle himself from her grasp without having to hurt her and giving him excruciating pain to the head.  
  
"Kira," he pleaded, but her lips closed on his and the rest of his words were drowned out.  
  
**********  
  
Angel had come to visit Buffy for a few days. He came in the cover of darkness at the new moon. He was supposed to meet Buffy at her house and there they could talk in peace since her mother was gone for the weekend. When he got there, Buffy answered the door enthusiastically.  
  
"Hey!" she said opening the door wide to let him in. at that moment Angel saw a red mist come down over her face and suddenly Buffy's eyes grew dark. Slowly she reached out for him and Angel turned and ran.  
  
**********  
  
From what Buffy had told him Angel found Spike's crypt fairly easily. Inside he found Spike chained to his own bed and Kira lay next to him playing with his hair. Spike looked up to see Angel and a look of relief came over his face.  
  
"A little help," he mumbled. At Spike's words Kira whirled to face Angel. A coy smile lit up her face and her blue-green eyes were glowing.  
  
"Angel, what are you doing here?" she asked coyly.  
  
"Saving you from a very bad dream when this is over." He said gently pulling her off the bed and securely into his arms. Thankfully, Kira was still mostly clothed.  
  
"But I wasn't done playing." She pouted.  
  
"You are now." Angel said firmly. Gently he set her down on the ground and went to free Spike. Once Spike had been released he quickly pulled his shirt back on and looked at Angel curiously.  
  
"When did you get here?" he asked.  
  
"Just a few minutes ago." Angel replied. "I was going to catch up with Buffy, but the spell came over her just as I arrived. I managed to outrun her, and figured I should come find you. She said something about you two had been spending a lot of time together."  
  
"Well thanks. If you hadn't come the little dove here would have been all silver and stuff."  
  
"Yeah, that would be bad." Angel agreed. "We should get back to Buffy's and contain her. Then go find Giles and Xander. They could be in trouble too."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
**********  
  
Giles and Xander however didn't seem to be in any trouble. Xander and Aya were well. Giles had stayed home all night, alone, thankfully. Unfortunately as soon as Spike brought Kira into the house half-asleep Giles was smitten.  
  
"Great!" Angel said in exasperation. "A lust spell and not just for one, but TWO!"  
  
"That's bad right?" Spike asked.  
  
"Uh-huh. Every man and woman in the whole town will be like this," indicating Giles and Kira who were know tied up on opposite sides of the room.  
  
**********  
  
It wasn't hard for Angel and Spike to figure out where the spell was coming from once they managed to get Giles away from Kira. Using some sort of weird amulet that only Giles could produce on the spot, they soon came to a house just a few blocks from Buffy's. Everything was quiet inside, and dark, except for one light on in the back. Unfortunately, since the doors were locked, only Giles could enter.  
  
What he found was not good. The house was set up much like Buffy's, so through the back door Giles came into the kitchen. Sprawled on the floor surrounded by various magical implements was a young girl of about the age 15. The spell she had been attempting, Giles could see from the spell book open on the ground, was far too advanced for someone with no magical experience, and since the girl had obviously made the spell work, it seemed the effort had drained any strength she had in her.  
  
Giles quickly pulled the girl up into a sitting position and forced some water and herbs down her throat. She revived immediately and began to shriek when she saw Angel and Spike standing the doorway. They both quickly wiped their vampire guises away.  
  
Giles whispered into the girl's ear calmly. "We are friends. Invite them it."  
  
Meekly, the girl said, "Come in."  
  
Angel and Spike entered, Angel taking hold of the girl while Giles seized the spell book and began rifling through the pages for the reverse spell. It was not hard to find or perform, and Giles, Angel, and Spike left the girl on her kitchen floor, speechless.  
  
**********  
  
When they returned to Giles' house, Kira was slumped in her chair asleep, red hair cascading around her face. Giles removed her bonds, and Angel scooped her up in his arms.  
  
"I'll take her home." He said.  
  
Spike wanted to protest, but didn't. he left with Angel and watched silently as Angel carried Kira up the road to her apartment. 


End file.
